MALIBU, Calif. – The #22 Pepperdine women's soccer team will continue West Coast Conference play by heading to the Pacific Northwest to visit Gonzaga and #15 Portland.
 
MATCH #11 — Wednesday (Oct. 5) at Luger Field in Spokane, Wash.: #22 Pepperdine (1-0 WCC, 7-1-2) at Gonzaga (1-0 WCC, 6-2-2) at 7 p.m.
 
MATCH #12 — Saturday (Oct. 8) at Merlo Field at The Clive Charles Soccer Complex in Portland, Ore.: #22 Pepperdine (1-0 WCC, 7-1-2) at #15 Portland (1-0 WCC, 7-0-4, visits San Diego on Wednesday) at 7 p.m.
 
WATCH/ONLINE — Both matches will be on the WCC Network. Links to live stats and the stream can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
 
GONZAGA — Pepperdine is 20-6-3 all-time against Gonzaga. The Waves have only lost one game in the last 11 meetings against the Bulldogs dating back to the 2011 season (8-1-2). Gonzaga defeated Pepperdine 3-0 in the spring of 2020 in Spokane, which snapped the Waves' nine-game unbeaten streak in the series (7-0-2). Last season, the Waves blanked the Bulldogs 3-0 at Tari Frahm Rokus Field.
 
PORTLAND — The Waves are 9-16-3 all-time against the Pilots, although Pepperdine is unbeaten (6-0-2) in the last eight meetings. In the 2021 season, the Waves hosted the Pilots and earned a 3-0 victory.
 
LAST TIME OUT — After a two-week break, the Waves jumped back into the win column after defeating San Diego 3-0 in the opening weekend of WCC play at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Shelby Little, Tatum Wynalda and Melina Livadas each found the back of the net in the second half to collect the Waves' win. The Waves notched their seventh shutout and Ellie Sommers earned her fifth solo shutout of the season.
 
NATIONAL STATS — Pepperdine ranks eighth in the nation in shutout percentage (.700) and ranks 18th in both points per game (7.60) and goals per game (2.60) ... The Waves are also tied for 19th in assists per game (2.40) and 41st in goals against average (.700) ... Individually, Trinity Watson ranks tied for 26th in assists per game (0.50) and Ellie Sommers ranks 46th in goals against average (.672).
 
WCC STATS — The Waves lead the WCC in goals per game (2.60) and are tied for first in shutouts (seven), and rank third in goals against average (0.70) ... Ellie Sommers is tied for second in solo shutouts (five), third in goals against average (0.67) and fourth in save percentage (0.67) ... Trinity Watson is tied for third in assists per game (0.50) ... Carlee Giammona is tied for fourth in goals per game (0.50) and tied for fifth in points per game (1.30) ... Tatum Wynalda is also tied for fourth in goals per game (0.50) and tied for ninth in points per game (1.10) ... Victoria Romero is tied for eighth in assists per game (0.40) ... Tori Waldeck is tied for ninth in goals per game (0.44).
 
RANKINGS — Pepperdine headed into the 2022 season ranked #17 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. The Waves, who have been ranked every week, have been as high as #9 this season, and are currently #22.
 
HONORS — Tabitha LaParl notched the first WCC weekly accolade for the Waves this season, as she was named Offensive Player of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal in the 3-0 victory over UCSB and had an assist on the lone game-tying goal against Cal (9/5)... Leyla McFarland earned a spot on the College Soccer News Women's National Team of the Week after scoring three goals in two games against CSUN and UC San Diego. McFarland scored the lone goal in the 1-0 victory over the Tritons (8/22).
 
Three members of the Waves were named to the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy watch list: Carlee Giammona, Tori Waldeck and Trinity Watson ... Pepperdine also had three members receive notice on the United Soccer Coaches' preseason players to watch lists: Watson (defender), Giammona (midfield) and Waldeck (forward) ... Watson was named to Top Drawer Soccer's preseason Best XI third team ... Watson (26) and Waldeck (47) are ranked in the top 50 on the Top Drawer Soccer preseason NCAA DI preseason player rankings ... Waldeck and Watson were also voted to the preseason All-WCC squad.
 
ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves' 30-player roster breakdown is three redshirt seniors, three seniors, one redshirt junior, seven juniors, one redshirt sophomore, four sophomores, one redshirt freshman and 10 true freshmen. Pepperdine has eight returning starters and 19 letterwinners back. Three Waves — Kelsey Hill, Leyla McFarland and Trinity Watson — are back for an extra season after utilizing COVID-19 redshirt years.
 
WCC — The Waves were picked to finish third in the WCC preseason coaches poll for a second consecutive season. The order went as follows: BYU, Santa Clara, Pepperdine, Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Francisco, Pacific, Loyola Marymount, San Diego.
 
LAST SEASON — The Waves had one of its best seasons in program history finishing with an overall record of 17-4-1 and a third-place finish in the WCC. Pepperdine reached the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in program history. The Waves made it to the round of 16 for the fourth time. Tori Waldeck earned All-WCC first team honors for the first time. Other returning players honored by the league were two second teamers (Carlee Giammona and Trinity Watson) and two WCC All-Freshman team recipients (Tabitha LaParl and Kam Pickett).
 
WAVES IN THE PROS — Several Waves have made their marks professionally. Lynn Williams is a three-time NWSL champion (2016 Western New York Flash, 2018 and 2019 North Carolina Courage). In 2016, she was also the NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner. As a member of the U.S. National Team, she's earned 43 caps and scored 14 goals. She won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Bri Visalli, who has been part of the U.S. U-23 team, played in England for a couple of seasons before joining the NWSL's Houston Dash in 2020. In January 2019, the Waves had two NWSL Draft selections for the first time in Hailey Harbison (first round to North Carolina) and Michelle Maemone (third round to Utah). Rylee Baisden was named the 2019 Player of the Year in Australia's NPLW and joined the North Carolina Courage in 2020. The Waves have produced two Olympians (Williams and Roxanne Barker, South Africa, 2012 and 2016) and a Women's World Cup participant (Anisa Guajardo, Mexico, 2015). Anna Picarelli played for Italy and Kristi DeVert was the first Wave to suit up with the USWNT. In January 2022, Joelle Anderson signed a two-year professional contract with the Houston Dash.
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 20 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2021-22). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #55 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.